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"Hunter.”
Fists clenched.
"Are you okay?”
Brow furrowed, eyes closed.
"Hunter?”
Smile.
“Yes, of course!” He turned to face Willow. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You don't look okay,” Willow whispered. Her emerald eyes shone with tears, her bottom lip trembling as she reached up to scrub them away.
“I'm- I'm fine. It's just…” Hunter hesitated. He watched her. He watched the tears fall faster than she could wipe them away, watched her face crumble. He reached out, holding his breath. “Willow?” His voice was barely a whisper. "Are you okay?"
“No." He met her eyes and she cracked.
Hunter opened his arms and she stumbled forwards, slamming into his chest. “It's going to be okay."
“B- but it's not,” she sobbed.
"No," he agreed. "But it will be.” Hunter scrunched his face as Willow buried her face in the crook of his neck, hiding his own in her hair. One hand gripped her sweater, the other found its way to the back of her head. He guided her to the ground and held her close, tears brimming in his eyes at the sound of her muffled cries.
“H-H-unt-ter,” Willow stuttered, staring up at him, eyes green and wide and panicked. She gulped air in short and raspy gasps, her chest heaving up and down.
Hunter took her by the hands, placing one of her palms on his chest and keeping the other firmly secured by n his own. “Breathe,” he told her, trying his hardest not to look as terrified as he felt. “Just- just breathe.”
He took an exaggerated breath, reaching up and cupping her cheek, raising her gaze to meet his own. She took a staggering breath in and choked on it, coughing with a wild look.
”Good,” Hunter soothed, “That- that’s good!” His hand shot up and he opened his fist, letting his fingers splay out like Gus had shown him. One by one he lowered a finger, smiling shakily as he wiped Willow’s tears away with his thumb. He sucked in an elongated breath, whistling through the gap in his teeth. “1, 2, 3, 4, remember? Gus said you taught him, remember?”
Willow followed his lead until her hyperventilating gasps turned to hysteric laughter, then finally back to heart-wrenching sobs. “You- you died,” she blubbered, pushing Hunter away. His breath hitched as she pounded his chest, hard enough to make a point but not enough to actually hurt him.
”I-“
”You died,” Willow whispered, letting her head fall against his shoulder. She sniffed and Hunter rubbed her back, tears sliding down his face.
He smushed his cheek into Willow’s head, taking a shuddering breath and pulling her closer. “I’m so sorry.”
”You’re not allowed to scare me like that! I thought- I thought I’d lost you.”
Hunter gasped and raised her chin to meet his eyes. “You won’t lose me,” he said firmly. “I’ll- I’ll always be there for you, Willow.” He flushed and dipped his head, reaching up to rub his neck.
”You died.”
”Flap-“ Hunter winced. “I came back.”
”You got hurt.” She reached up and traced Hunter’s new scar with her finger, a tear slipping out of the corner of her eye and trailing down her cheek.
Hunter wiped it away as a wave of guilt overcame him. “I’m… okay.” He swallowed, and when he spoke he spoke with conviction. “We’ll be okay.”
Willow’s eyes trailed downwards and she leaned forwards, closing her eyes and tilting her head and-
Suddenly Hunter was in heaven, his heart fluttering and soaring and flying away as her lips crashed into his. He melted into- well, whatever was happening, his eyelids fluttering closed.
Willow pulled away and slowly looked up, meeting his eyes and quickly flickering her gaze away. “Was that… okay?” she asked shyly.
Hunter opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was air.
Willow curled into herself, crouching into her knees. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-“
Hunter cut her off by mouth-touching her again. When they parted his face was bright red. “That was… perfect,” he assured her, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
”I’m glad you feel the same way,” she whispered breathlessly, flushing just as bright as him.
”Me too.”
She smiled, and for the first time in a long time…
Hunter smiled back.